Contractor Courses

Contractor training splits two ways, and the courses on this page cover both sides of the same relationship. If you are the contractor, you need the safety passport or induction the client insists on before you set foot on their site. If you are the client, you carry a legal duty to appoint competent contractors and manage them while they are there. Booking the wrong side of that is a common and expensive mistake.

Two audiencesContractor and clientSite access training, or the duty to manage the people you appoint

Safety PassportSector-specificPetrol retail sites run their own scheme, separate from CSCS

CDM 2015A legal dutyContractors and principal contractors have named duties in law

RenewalBefore it expiresPassports are renewed by a shorter course while still valid

Which side are you on?

You are the contractor

You need a safety passport before a client will let you on site – petrol forecourts, engineering construction and utilities all run their own schemes
Your existing passport is coming up to expiry and needs renewing
You are taking on principal contractor duties and need to understand what CDM actually requires of you
You want one recognised card rather than a fresh induction at every client

You appoint contractors

You are responsible for checking that the contractors you engage are competent, and for keeping evidence of it
You need to induct, monitor and control contractors working on your premises
You are a client or principal designer under CDM and need to know where your duties start and stop
You want your own staff trained in contractor management rather than relying on a procurement checklist

Safety passports are not interchangeable

This is where people come unstuck. A petrol retail passport does not get you onto a refinery, a CCNSG Safety Passport does not get you onto a building site, and a CSCS card does none of the above. Each scheme belongs to a sector and clients specify which one they accept. Check what the site actually asks for before you book, particularly if you work across more than one industry.

The Safety Pass Alliance runs the scheme covering petrol retail and several other sectors. If your work is on construction sites rather than client premises, the CITB Site Safety Plus range is the relevant route.

Renew before your passport lapses

Renewal courses are shorter than the initial qualification, but only while your existing passport is still valid. Once it has expired the renewal route closes and the full course has to be repeated. Check your expiry date if you are not certain when yours runs out.

How you can study

Classroom

Delivered at a training centre, which suits the passport courses where identity checks and invigilated assessment form part of the day.

Live online

Tutor-led sessions in a virtual classroom leading to the same certificate. Sessions run to a timetable rather than at your own pace.

E-learning

Self-paced modules, well suited to contractor management training for in-house staff who need the knowledge rather than a card.

Common questions

Do I need a safety passport or a CSCS card?

It depends who owns the site. CSCS covers building and civil engineering sites. Safety passport schemes cover client premises in sectors such as petrol retail, engineering construction and utilities. They are separate, and contractors working across both sectors generally carry both.

What does CDM require of a contractor?

Under CDM 2015 contractors must plan, manage and monitor their own work, make sure anyone they engage is competent and informed, and co-operate with the principal contractor. If you are the only contractor on a project, you take on the principal contractor duties as well – which is the part most often missed.

Is contractor management training the same thing?

No. Contractor management is for the organisation appointing contractors, covering selection, induction, monitoring and review. It is aimed at facilities, procurement and health and safety staff rather than the contractors themselves.

How long does a safety passport last?

Typically three years, with a shorter renewal course before expiry, though it varies by scheme. Confirm the validity period for the specific passport you hold, and diary the renewal early.

Compare contractor courses below

Envico lists scheduled dates from accredited providers across the UK in classroom, live online and e-learning formats. Training several people? Our free on-site training option is often cheaper than sending a team out.